Multi-film projector

ABSTRACT

A housing supports illuminating and lens means therein. A plurality of selectively operable film drive knobs extend from the housing and include inner driving ends. A self-contained cartridge includes a plurality of films each of which is mounted between a pair of upper and lower film spools. The pairs of upper and lower film spools are drivingly interconnected by a flexible endless drive belt, and each of the upper spools is engageable with the inner driving end of a respective one of said knobs whereby the films can be selectively operated from the exterior of the housing.

United States Patent Gorrell et al.

[54] MULTI-FILM PROJECTOR [72] Inventors: Richard L. Gorrell, Angola; Harold F. Gibson, Pleasant Lake, both of Ind.

[73] Assignee: Kickshaw, Inc., Pleasant Lake, Ind.

[22] Filed: Jan. 19, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 3,632

[52] US. Cl ..353/35, 242/180 [51] Int. Cl. ..'....G03b 21/26 [58] Field of Search ..353/35; 242/180 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 2,813,457 11/1957 Fitz Gerald ..353/35 3,523,657 8/1970 Hearon et al. ..352/78 1,217,598 2/1917 Heinze ..242/20l Aug. 29, 1972 3,336,681 8/1967 Minasy ..353/35 Primary ExaminerLeona.rd Forman Assistant ExaminerSteven L. Stephan AttorneyHood, Gust, Irish & Lundy 7] ABSTRACT A housing supports illuminating and lens means therein. A plurality of selectively operable film drive knobs extend from the housing and include inner driving ends. A self-contained cartridge includes a plurality of films each of which is mounted between a pair of upper and lower film spools. The pairs of upper and lower film spools are drivingly interconnected by a flexible endless drive belt, and each of the upper spools is engageable with the inner driving end of a respective one of said knobs whereby the films can be selectively operated from the exterior of the housing.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmses m2 SHEEI 3 [IF 3 3 HAROLD F. GIBSON,

,wmwfim Ar roRNEYs.

N E NTORS RICHARD L GOEPEL MULTI-FILM PROJECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a projector containing a plurality of films, each having a multiplicity of different images thereon, and the position of the films being relatively adjustable so that images on the different films can be disposed in an overlay arrangement to provide many different picture combinations with a single set of films.

Projectors of this type have many, uses and are particularly adapted to be employed for educational and entertainment purposes.

In a typical example, the various films employed may each show portions of a human face. These films may be adjusted to bring various frames on the individual films into overlying juxtaposed relationship so that a complete picture may be projected which is a composite of the images on the juxtaposed frames.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a housing is provided which supports illuminating and lens means as well as a multiple film drive in the form of a plurality of manually operable knobs which can be individually turned for adjusting the position of films associated with the apparatus.

A cartridge fits in the housing, this cartridge being a self-contained unit including a plurality of films which are connected between film spools supported in the cartridge. Each film extends between a pair of upper and lower film spools. Each pair of spools are drivingly interconnected by a drive belt to provide a positive drive to opposite ends of the respective film when one spool is rotated.

A cartridge-supporting device within the housing positively locates the cartridge. Each upper spool includes a drive socket adapted to be engaged by an inner end of a respective one of the knobs in the housing. In this manner, rotation of the knobs on the housing turn the spools within the cartridge thereby to adjust the position of the juxtaposed films.

The cartridge may be readily inserted into and removed from the housing as desired, the films being relatively adjustable to provide a desired projected picture which is a composite of the images on the juxtaposed frames.

It is an object of this invention to provide a multiple film projector for producing a displayed image which is a composite of fragmentary images on a plurality of superposed films, respectively, this projector being simple and economical to construct and reliable in operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a multiple film projector wherein the films are contained in a cartridge which may be removably inserted into a housing having an optical projection system permanently mounted therein.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a projector in which film strips inside the cartridge may be manually adjusted by means of adjusting knobs operatively mounted on the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following descrip tion of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the structure of FIG. 1 with certain parts broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 2; I

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded view in perspective of the structure of FIG. 1 with parts rotated partially out of position for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the film and spool arrangement in position for projection of a picture;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, exploded view in perspective of another embodiment of this invention with parts rotated as in FIG. 4 for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative cartridge useful in this invention, a part of one side being broken away and sectioned for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken substantially along section line 88 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective of the belt drive sprocket arrangement used in the cartridge of the preceding FIGS. 6 through 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a housing is indicated generally by reference numeral 10 and may be formed of a suitable plastic material. The housing includes a front wall 12, a rear wall 14, two sides 16 and 18, a bottom 20 and a top 22. Side 18 is provided with a flanged opening 30 (FIG. 4) of generally rectangular configuration. Another flanged opening 32 is in the top 22 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The housing 10 is supported by a first pair of rubber tipped legs 36 secured to the rear comers of the bottom 20 and by a second pair of rubber tipped legs 38 secured to a crossbar 40 at the forward part of the housing. Posts 42 extend upwardly from crossbar 40 to the housing, and the height of the forward part of the housing may be adjusted by nut 44 mounted on a screw 46 as seen in FIG. 2.

As seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, a tubular lamp chimney 50, generally rectangular, has a pair of mounting lugs 52 secured by screws or the like to a perforate flat plate 54 which is in turn secured to the bottom 20 of the housing. The bottom 10 is provided with a hole 55 for accommodating the chimney 50.

A lamp socket bracket 60 is supported within the lower portion of the chimney 50 and supports a conventional incandescent lamp 62 in the usual manner. This lamp 62 is connected with an electrical lead 64 adapted to be connected to a source of electrical power, the lead 64 also being connected in series with an On-Off switch 66 as seen in FIG. 1.

Referring again to FIG. 2, a louvered cover 70 is disposed over the hole 32 in the top of the housing and is secured in place by suitable screws.

The lamp chimney 50 has horizontally aligned holes 72 and 74 formed in the opposite sides thereof, and a reflector 76 is secured over hole 74 to reflect light through the hole 72 and the lens system of the projec- 01.

The housing includes four spaced cartridge support ledges 80, 82, 84 and 86 located at the comers of an imaginary rectangle to receive snugly a cartridge hereinafter described. Each ledge 80, 82, 84, 86 has two sides at right angles which further define the sides of a solid rectangle, the ledges being elongated and parallel as shown. At one end of the ledges 80, 82, 84, 86 are secured abutments 90, 92, 94 and 96 shaped similarly to the ledges to position positively the cartridge 130 in place within the housing 10.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 4, a flat closure 100 is provided for fitting over the opening 30 in side 18. This closure 100 includes fingers 102 adapted to engage the inner surface of the side 18 at one end of the opening 30, the closure 100 also including a swingable latch 104 which may be moved from the solid line (FIG. 4) to the phantom line position to hold the closure 100 affixed to the side 18 over the opening 30. The latch 104 is connected to a knob 106 (FIG. 3) by which it is rotated.

Referring again to FIG. 4, a bracket 108 is secured to the inner surface of the closure 100 and extends substantially at right angles therefrom. A Plano-convex condensing lens 110 is supported by bracket 108 and forms a first portion of the lens system of the projector. The position of lens 110 when closure 100 is properly mounted on housing 10 is as shown in FIG. 2, the lens 110 fitting between portions 135 and 137 of cartridge 130 adjacent to frame opening 150. As shown, an adjustable lens support 120 is slidably supported within a central hole in the front wall 12 of the housing. This lens support 120 supports a pair of plano-convex objective lenses 122 and may be moved between the solid and phantom line positions shown in FIG. 2 for properly focusing the projected composite picture.

The cartridge 130 of the present invention comprises two allochiral casing halves 132 and 134 secured together by means such as screws 136. The cartridge 130 is of generally I-shaped configuration having support portions 135 and 137, respectively, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, and a plurality of rotatable film holders or spools 140 and 142, respectively, are rotatably sup ported in the upper and lower parts of the cartridge 130. As seen most clearly in FIG. 5, there are six each of the upper and lower film spools 140 and 142, vertically aligned in pairs. Six individual film strips identified by reference characters A, B, C, D, E and F are connected between the spool pairs, respectively, as shown.

The cartridge 130 includes a film guide 150 as seen in FIG. 5 which comprises a pair of spaced walls 151 and 153 defining a narrow guide slot 149 therebetween just sufiicient to receive the various film strips in superposed relationship. The walls 151 and 153 have aligned frame holes 152 and 154 which transmit light rays from lamp 62.

As seen most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the upper spools includes an enlarged end portion 141 which extends through the side of the cartridge 130, and each of the lower film spools includes an enlarged end portion 143 which also extends through the side wall of the cartridge. The upper and lower film spools are arranged in pairs one above the other, each pair being connected with opposite ends of a particular film. The pairs of spools are drivingly connected together by endless rubber drive belts 160 which extend around both of the enlarged end portions 141 and 143. This driving connection insures that the lower spools 142 will be simultaneously driven with the associated upper spools 140 when it is desired to transport any particular film through guide 150, thereby providing a positive drive in either direction of film movement.

Each of the upper spools 140 is provided with a starshaped socket 162 in the ends 141 for receiving the ends of rotatable shafts described in the following. As seen in FIG. 1, a film drive mechanism for each of the upper spools is supported by the housing 10 and includes outwardly extending manually engageable knobs 170. These knobs 170 have reduced diameter portions 172 (FIG. 3) which rotatably fit suitable holes in the side 16 of the housing. Collars 174 are secured to the knob portions 172 and compression springs 176 on the knob portions 172 are positioned between the side 16 and the respective collars 174 for resiliently biasing the knobs 170 against the side 16.

Each of the knobs 170 have square shafts 178 which fit into a respective one of the spool sockets 162.

When it is desired to insert a cartridge 130 in the apparatus, the closure is removed from the side 18 and a cartridge is fitted into the receptacle formed by the ledges 80, 82, 84, 86 and abutments 90, 92, 94, 96. This receptacle is shaped like the cartridge 130 to intimately slidingly receive the same. The closure 100 is then remounted on the side 18 over opening 30 whereupon the lens 110 is positioned as shown in FIG. 2 so that light from lamp 62 passes through lens 110, through the framing holes 152, 154 in the film guide and finally through the lens 122. The superposed films in the film guide 150 lie in the image plane of the projection system which includes the lamp 62, reflector 76, and lenses 110 and 122.

When the cartridge 130 is fully inserted into the receptacle 80, 82, 84, 86 against the abutments 90, 92, 94, 96, the shafts 178 on the knobs fit into the respective sockets 162, all of the shafts 178 being arranged in the housing 10 to align perfectly with these sockets 162. Rotation of any particular knob 170 will cause rotation of a pair of upper and lower spools 140, 142 so as to adjust the position of the associated film.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 through 9 which illustrate a second embodiment of this invention. Like numerals indicate like parts. The primary difference between the alternative embodiment and the one of the preceding figures lies in the design of the cartridge 130. The cartridge of this alternative embodiment is indicated by the reference numeral 130a. Generally speaking, its operational design features which determine the positioning, guiding, superposing and transporting of the film strips are identical to those of cartridge 130, the main difference lying in the construction of cartridge enclosure and drive mechanism which will now be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the cartridge enclosure is made of two halves 132 and 134 which completely contain the film strips and spools. In this second embodiment, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the cartridge 1300 includes two halves 132a and 134a which, when fitted together as shown, enclose not only the film strips but also the guide belts 160a. The enclosure part 134a is of a width substantially coincident with that of the film strips. The part 132a is of a width generally the same as that of the belts 160a. The spools 140 are journaled in the enclosure 132a, 134a the same as in the cartridge 130 with the exception that instead of a sheave or pulley portion being formed on each as in the cartridge 130, a sprocket 186 is provided. On the lower spools 142, sprockets 188 are provided in vertical alignment with sprockets 186. Toothed or serrated belts 160a as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 are engaged with the sprockets 186 and 188 so as to provide positive driving connections between the spool pairs 140 and 142. Thus, with the rotation of each spool 140, the same rotation will be imparted to the associated spool 142.

The ends 141 and 143 of the spools are journaled in the side of the cartridge part 132a as shown with the sockets 162 in the ends 141 being aligned for engagement with the square shafts 178 as previously explained.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 7, the cartridge part 132a covers completely the side of the cartridge 130a and fully conceals the belts 160a. When the cartridge 130a is installed in the housing, the side 132a thereof is disposed adjacent to the housing side 16 thereby providing the open portions in the housing for insertion of the lens 110 when the cover 100 is secured over the housing opening 30.

This cartridge 130a disposes the belts 160a on the inside of the enclosure rather than on the outside as for the cartridge 130. This facilitates installation of the films A through F, properly tightening the films on the spool pairs 140, 142 and mounting the belts 160a onto the respective sprockets without the films accidentally slipping or maladjusting as can happen with the cartridge embodiment 130. With the belts 160a contained on the inside of the cartridge enclosure, they are less susceptible to being accidentally engaged than is true of the cartridge 130.

It is apparent that the arrangement of the present invention enables several cartridges to be readily interchanged in the projector as desired.

As seen most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 3, a pair of flanges 180 and 182 are formed integral with the upper part of the housing and are disposed in overlying relationship to spaced portions of the upper wall 22. These flanges are adapted to receive a cartridge identification card 184 which may be slipped into and out of the operative position illustrated. This card is so positioned that the indicia on the card are disposed above each of the drive knobs 170 to indicate what the film associated with the particular drive knob will show in the composite projected picture. In the arrangement illustrated, the six knobs 170 are adapted to respectively represent portions of the human face including the outline of the face, the hair, eyes, lips, ears and nose. Each of the films A-F has several frames each having a different design of face, hair, eyes, lips, etc. It is apparent that by selectively adjusting these films, the various features of a face may be varied so as to form many different facial designs.

While there have been described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A multi-film projector comprising a housing, a film cartridge removably mounted in said housing, said cartridge having a film window therein and a film guide slot defined by two closely spaced parallel wall portions, said window being in said wall portions, and two support portions on opposite sides of said window, a plurality of film strips mounted in said cartridge, each of said film strips having a portion thereof received in said slot in registry with said window in superposed relationship with said portions of the other film strips, first means carried by said cartridge for adjustably transporting said film strips individually relative to said window, said first means including a plurality of pairs of film holders rotatably mounted on said support portions with one of each pair of said holders being carried by one of said support portions and the other being carried by the other of said support portions, said film strips each having the opposite ends thereof wound on a respective pair of said holders, means connecting the holders of each pair together for rotating the holders of each pair in unison when one holder thereof is rotated, said connecting means including an equally sized pulley portion on each said holder and a resilient belt frictionally engaged with the pulley portions of each said pair of holders, a plurality of individually, manually operable drive means carried by said housing and disengageably connected with individual ones of said holders when said cartridge is mounted in said housing, each said drive means including a rotatable element, each said rotatable element and the holder connected thereto having slidably engageable parts held against relative rotation, one of said parts including a socket and the other part a projection received by said socket whereby rotation of one element results in rotation of the holder connected thereto, said parts being disengageable upon removal of said cartridge from said housing, and projection means carried by said housing in optical registry with said window for proj ecting a display which is a composite of the images of said portions of said film in registry with said window, said superposed portions in registry with said window lying in the image plane of said projection means.

2. The projector of claim 1 in which said connecting means for each pair includes sprocket portions on the holders and a toothed belt engaged with the sprocket portions of each said pair of holders.

3. The projector of claim 2 in which said cartridge encloses both said film strips and said belts.

4. The projector of claim 1 in which said housing has an opening therein through which said cartridge may be passed, a cover for said housing opening which carries a lens that forms a part of said projection means, said lens being disposed adjacent to said window and between said cartridge support portions when said cover is mounted on said housing over the opening therein.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said spools includes an end portion extending through one side of said cartridge, each pair of spools for a particular film being drivingly interconnected by an endless drive belt extending around and engaging the associated pair of spools.

6. The projector of claim 1 in which said cartridge encloses said holders and film strips, said holders being journalled in said cartridge and having drive portions adjacent to one side of the latter, a plurality of endless belts connecting said drive portions of said pairs together, respectively, said belts being outboard of the film strips so as not to interfere with the transporting thereof.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said end portions of the upper spools has a noncircular socket formed in the end thereof for receiving a portion of a film drive means.

8. The projector of claim 1 in which said one of said pairs of holders and said other of said pairs of holders are arranged in straight parallel rows, respectively,'said film slot defining a plane substantially normal to said straight rows, said rows being intersected by said plane whereby there are some holders on both sides of said plane.

9. The projector of claim 1 in which said projection means is a lens system and source of light carried by said housing, means in said housing for positioning said cartridge with respect to said lens system and said rotatable elements, orthogonally related comers, said positioning means including four orthogonally related corner elements which define a confining receptacle for said cartridge and which are slidingly engageable by said cartridge corners, abutment elements on said corner elements engageable by said cartridge to determine the lateral position of the latter in said housing.

said cartridge having four. 

1. A multi-film projector comprising a housing, a film cartridge removably mounted in said housing, said cartridge having a film window therein and a film guide slot defined by two closely spaced parallel wall portions, said window being in said wall portions, and two support portions on opposite sides of said window, a plurality of film strips mounted in said cartridge, each of said film strips having a portion thereof received in said slot in registry with said window in superposed relationship with said portions of the other film strips, first means carried by said cartridge for adjustably transporting said film strips individually relative to said window, said first means including a plurality of pairs of film holders rotatably mounted on said support portions with one of each pair of said holders being carried by one of said support portions and the other being carried by the other of said support portions, said film strips each having the opposite ends thereof wound on a respective pair of said holders, means connecting the holders of each pair together for rotating the holders of each pair in unison when one holder thereof is rotated, said connecting means including an equally sized pulley portion on each said holder and a resilient belt frictionally engaged with the pulley portions of each said pair of holders, a plurality of individually, manually operable drive means carried by said housing and disengageably connected with individual ones of said holders when said cartridge is mounted in said housing, each said drive means including a rotatable element, each said rotatable element and the holder connected thereto having slidably engageable parts held against relative rotation, one of said parts including a socket and the other part a projection received by said socket whereby rotation of one element results in rotation of the holder connected thereto, said parts being disengageable upon removal of said cartridge from said housing, and projection means carried by said housing in optical registry with said window for projecting a display which is a composite of the images of said portions of said film in registry with said window, said superposed portions in registry with said window lying in the image plane of said projection means.
 2. The projector of claim 1 in which said connecting means for each pair inCludes sprocket portions on the holders and a toothed belt engaged with the sprocket portions of each said pair of holders.
 3. The projector of claim 2 in which said cartridge encloses both said film strips and said belts.
 4. The projector of claim 1 in which said housing has an opening therein through which said cartridge may be passed, a cover for said housing opening which carries a lens that forms a part of said projection means, said lens being disposed adjacent to said window and between said cartridge support portions when said cover is mounted on said housing over the opening therein.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said spools includes an end portion extending through one side of said cartridge, each pair of spools for a particular film being drivingly interconnected by an endless drive belt extending around and engaging the associated pair of spools.
 6. The projector of claim 1 in which said cartridge encloses said holders and film strips, said holders being journalled in said cartridge and having drive portions adjacent to one side of the latter, a plurality of endless belts connecting said drive portions of said pairs together, respectively, said belts being outboard of the film strips so as not to interfere with the transporting thereof.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said end portions of the upper spools has a noncircular socket formed in the end thereof for receiving a portion of a film drive means.
 8. The projector of claim 1 in which said one of said pairs of holders and said other of said pairs of holders are arranged in straight parallel rows, respectively, said film slot defining a plane substantially normal to said straight rows, said rows being intersected by said plane whereby there are some holders on both sides of said plane.
 9. The projector of claim 1 in which said projection means is a lens system and source of light carried by said housing, means in said housing for positioning said cartridge with respect to said lens system and said rotatable elements, said cartridge having four orthogonally related corners, said positioning means including four orthogonally related corner elements which define a confining receptacle for said cartridge and which are slidingly engageable by said cartridge corners, abutment elements on said corner elements engageable by said cartridge to determine the lateral position of the latter in said housing. 